


The Wolf In the Woods

by SeverNSkull



Series: SeverNSkull's KakaObi Week 2019 Prompts [4]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternative Universe - Modern Fantasy, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, Fairy Tale Elements, Fantasy, Friends to Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Gen, Inspired by Studio Ghibli, KakaObi Week 2019, Kid Obito, M/M, Obito Glows Up, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Set in Japan mid-1980's, To Be Continued, Yokai Kakashi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-10-22 14:39:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17664575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeverNSkull/pseuds/SeverNSkull
Summary: A young Obito meets and befriends a beautiful, wolf-yokai named Kakashi over a span of years, but the death of Obito's granny drives them apart. Kakashi is convinced he's been abandoned and left alone once more until a handsome, yet familiar human man shows up and gains Kakashi's friendship and affection.





	1. A Meeting By Chance

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I just wanted to get this up. I'm nearly done with chapter 2 in this mini-series, but it isn't complete. Sorry! But hopefully, the summary gives you a gist of what's to come.

Obito was an inquisitive young boy who was neither very clever nor very strong and visited with his grandmother in Kyushu every summer while his parents worked the season back home in the city. He always liked the village that Grandmother lived in. It was ancient and old, filled with magic and secrets, just like the tales that his grandmother told him. 

 

One of Obito’s favorite was of the lonely wolf spirit that was said to live in the woods around Grandmother’s house. She told him that the wolf cried out in the dead of the night because he was all alone so the villagers would leave him offerings to ease his pain. The young boy grew enamored with the tale and would, of course, leave offerings of fruits and meals at the shrine that Grandmother had shown him. He would wait around for hours, watching for the creature to come, but he never saw anything to show that the wolf spirit was real except that every morning when he went to check on the shrine, the offerings were always gone. 

 

As the days passed and the time grew nearer and nearer for summer to be over and Obito to return to school, it was finally the day before his parents would come back from the city to take him home. Normally, Obito spent his days helping Grandmother with chores, but being that today was the last day he’d be here before summer’s end, he decided to take the day for himself. He forgot all about the shrine and wolf spirits and wanted to bring something back for his best friend, Rin. 

 

He had liked Rin since the moment they met and she was always in awe over his stories about staying at Grandmother’s so he wanted to bring her a gift. The only problem was that the boy wasn’t sure what to bring her. 

 

Obito considered his options the best he could. He could bring her a bundle of flowers, but they’d probably wilt. Maybe a rock, but it seemed too dull and childish. The boy thought and thought until he remembered how much Rin liked animals. She was a sweet girl and was always kind to kitties and puppies and she didn’t get scared of spiders and squish them as Obito did. It was settled. If she liked animals, he’d bring her a frog. They were easy to find and small like bunnies, even if they were kind of slimy. Rin would definitely like his gift! Grabbing a tall mason jar, Obito sped out the door, heading to the pond that lies in the whispering woods. 

 

Cicadas screamed and frogs croaked around the pond, filling the wood with a cacophony of sound. It was noisy just like the city but in an entirely different way. The sounds here were relaxing and steady, whereas the city was busy and always changing. Obito liked it. He figured that was why Grandmother and the wolf spirit did as well. 

 

The boy walked over to the edge of the pond and set down the jar he had brought before shucking off his socks and sneakers. Then he rolled his pants up to just above his knee and waded into the water, wiggling his toes in the mucky, rocky bottom. The water was fairly warm from the light of the summer sun. It felt good against his bare skin and it didn’t take him long before he was chasing down frogs in an attempt to catch one for Rin. 

 

He grasped at the creatures as the slipped away from him, hiding in the mud once more. Frogs were tricky creatures, after all. Obito began wishing he had brought his net as well, especially after getting completely soaked so many times trying to catch the darn things. He huffed angrily as his latest mark leaped away, splashing into the water and swimming to the far side of the pond. At this rate, he was never going to catch a frog for dear, sweet Rin. How disappointing.

 

The boy peeled a piece of water-thriving grass from his shirt and looked around for another, noting that he didn’t hear a single frog. That was funny. In fact, as Obito listened and strained his ears, he couldn’t hear anything -- not the croak of frogs, nor the screams of cicadas, or any of the cries of other animals that lived in the woods. All was silent but for the wind through the trees and the sloshing of water as he waded back to the shore. How strange was it to be nearing sunset by now with not a single sound from the night-dwelling creatures in the wood? It was more than ominous but there wasn’t a bad feeling to accompany it. 

 

Obito wasn’t afraid in the least and glanced about the trees, trying to catch sight of whatever had hushed the sacred song of the forest. He didn’t spot anything immediately until he spied a trail through the trees, lined on either side by luminescent mushrooms. The boy couldn’t ever recall seeing it before but in his own curiosity, he decided to follow it deeper into the woods, abandoning his sneakers and jar with hardly a thought. 

 

It wasn’t obvious at first, but soon he began to pick up on the enchanting sound of a flute echoing throughout the forest, calling to him, enticing him to come closer, to go deeper to find the source of the hauntingly beautiful music. His little heart pounded at the thought of finding the flute’s master, it and his owning breathing the only other sound to reach his ears. The loveliness of the piece was almost frightening, but the boy stowed the thought away, giving himself over completely to his curiosity and the sad, lonely melody that pulled at his heart.

 

He padded quietly into a clearing where a tall man with silver, wiry hair -- vaguely reminding the boy of a wolf’s fur -- sat upon a smooth stone. Obito had never seen anyone so magnificent and terrifying all at once. The man wore a traditional yukata of a pearly white with a sheerness that suggested it was purely of silk, held closed by a ruby-red obi. Obito couldn’t see his face, but he was certain that the perfect, porcelain figure of the man before him was the wolf spirit that Grandmother had told him about; the one he had been trying to spot ever since he first started coming to Grandmother’s for the summer as a chubby, wide-eyed toddler.

 

Obito hadn’t realized the music had ended, too amazed with the man before him to notice until the man stood and turned toward him, focusing two mismatched eyes -- one of stormy grey and the other of bone-deep red on the boy. 

 

“How long have you been standing there?” the man asked, his voice soothing and calm like a morning breeze. He didn’t look either frightened or startled by the boy’s presence, only mildly curious, giving the boy a simple cursory glance. 

 

It was him. He had to be! He definitely was the wolf spirit that Grandmother had told him about. Obito tried to open his mouth to give him an answer, but he was too mesmerized. All he could do was gape at the man in awe. 

 

The man took a cautious step forward, gauging the boy’s reactions. “Who are you?” he asked instead.

 

“I’m-,” Obito paused for a moment, remembering something Grandmother had told him. Although beautiful, yokai and otherworldly spirits have great power either good or bad. If you give them your name they can bind you forever. He gulped nervously after catching himself. He was about to give him his full name! “I’m Obito,” he replied instead.

 

“Obito?” The man echoed thoughtfully, “What a peculiar name.” 

 

“What’s yours?”

 

The man seemed troubled for a moment before softly answering in a voice that was barely above a whisper, “It’s… Kakashi.” 

 

Obito grinned and gave a curt bow. “It’s nice to meet you, Kakashi-san,” the boy beamed.

 

“And you, Obito…” Kakashi murmured, giving an equally polite bow to the awe-inspired boy. “Tell me, how did you come to find me?” He tilted his head curiously, a pair of silver, wolf-like, pointy ears moving with the motion. Obito couldn’t help but stare, deeply wanting to pet him like he would a puppy dog.

 

He had to shake himself out of his trace before answering, “I heard your song. It was super pretty, so I followed it.” Obito shrugged and turned to point at the trail he had come down. “I really just followed the-” he stopped, blinking in bafflement. Where was the trail? He couldn’t see it anywhere and he doubted he could find his way back from here without it.

 

“Followed the what?” Kakashi prompted gently.

 

“The… The trail of mushrooms, but it’s gone now and…” he hesitated, wondering if it’d be best to try on his own or if he should tell Kakashi he was lost. The wolf spirit didn’t  _ seem _ threatening, in fact, he seemed benevolent and shy. Obito could, after a few moments, recall stories of yokai and demons that lured children into the woods or the water so they could feast on them and their souls and he gulped nervously. He didn’t know what to do.

 

“Are you… lost?” Kakashi asked and began to cautiously approach, like a wary animal. No, there was no way that Kakashi could be bad like those other yokai. He was just too shy and his eyes and demeanor were too kind. 

 

Obito nodded in affirmation. “Yeah… I guess I didn’t think they’d stop glowin’ so soon,” he chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head. 

 

“I see,” the yokai said and turned his nose toward the direction of the trail before setting his gaze on the boy once more. “I can lead you back home, but…” he faltered for a moment, “but I don’t want to.”

 

“Why not?” Obito asked, astonished at his new friend. Maybe he was wrong after all? 

 

“Because I’d rather not get closer to the humans than I have to,” Kakashi stated dryly as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

 

Obito pouted. He hadn’t expected that, but thankfully, his assumption about Kakashi being a nice spirit was still true, at least, for the most part. “Wait a minute,” Obito said, screwing up his face as a thought occurred to him, “I’m human too. Why aren’t you scared of me?”

 

Kakashi looked him over curiously, his brows furrowing in concentration as he took in Obito’s appearance. 

 

“What? What is it?” the boy asked, confused.

 

“You don’t look like a human. You’re far too… small. I suppose you’re a human cub then?” 

 

“Well yeah, but,” Obito paused for a moment before shaking himself and pushing the yokai back on-topic, “I really need to get back though. If I don’t, my Granny’s gonna worry about me. Can’t you do it this one time?”

 

Kakashi stared at him thoughtfully for a moment but said nothing, giving Obito as much of an answer as he needed. He wasn’t going to help, even if he was amused by his presence. It made a little sense to Obito, with his small knowledge of yokai. Kakashi was lonely and wanted someone to stay with him; if he didn’t return Obito home, he didn’t have to be lonely. Obito would have to think of some other way to get Kakashi to help him.

 

“Please?” Obito pleaded hopefully, looking up at the yokai with sad, teary eyes, poking out his lip sadly. It was the puppy-dog face, his secret weapon. 

 

“No,” Kakashi replied sternly with a roll of his eyes before he treaded back across the clearing to the great stone where he resumed playing his flute.  _ Unbelievable! _ How dare he not fall for the puppy-dog face! It worked on all the grannies and gramps in the village that Obito knew, but then again, he’d run errands or help with chores for many of them. 

 

Nonetheless, Obito scowled at the yokai as he was forced to come up with another plan. He was certain that would work since Kakashi was an adult and seemed gentle and kind to him. What else could he do to appease the yokai when he was fresh out of ideas? 

 

He stuffed his hands angrily into his jean-pockets, making a cacophony of sound as one of his hands knock into his tin of marbles. A idea began to grow in his mind as he took the round, metal tin out of his pocket and opening it to admire the marbles inside. They were pretty plain, but to a yokai, they’d be new and beautiful and shiny, like jewels. There was a green sea glass, two mottled milk-glass marbles, a plain blue one, three yellow and red cat eyes, and -- his favorite -- a shiny orange one with spots of red and yellow. Now he just had to think of a way to get Kakashi’s attention so he could bribe him with a marble or two. 

 

Obito put the lid back on his tin of marbles and made his way to stand in front of Kakashi, listening to Kakashi’s song. It was just as ethereal and doleful as the last song, captivating Obito and carrying his attention away from the matter at hand. He could hardly pull his eyes away from the flute’s spell. It felt like a living, breathing thing beckoning him to come closer. 

 

“Is there a reason you’re still here?” Kakashi asked, a tinge of annoyance in his voice. Yet again, Obito didn’t even notice the song had ended as Kakashi stared at him with his mismatched eyes, a deep scowl of annoyance etched on his face. 

 

“Y-Yeah!” Obito answered, equally annoyed. He’d already told Kakashi he wanted to get home after all. Why’d he even have to ask? “I want you to help me get back home.”

 

“I already told you I wouldn’t, cub. Find your own way home,” the yokai responded with disinterest.

 

Obito scoffed and held up the tin, shaking it to get Kakashi’s undivided attention. “Would you help me if I give you a gift?”

 

Kakashi looked thoughtful for a moment. “Maybe…” he drawled. “What kind of gift?”

 

The boy opened the tin and held up a marble in the dying light. Almost immediately, the yokai lithely climbed down from the boulder and stood before Obito, peering curiously at the spotted, white of the milk-glass marble. 

 

“What are these?” Kakashi asked, tilting his head curiously as he gestured to the tin.

 

“Marbles. I could give you one if you help me get back, but since you don’t want to help,” Obito paused for dramatic effect as he screwed the lid back on the painted tin, “I won’t be able to give you any.”

 

The two animalistic ears on the top of Kakashi’s head went back like that of an angered cat before flipping forward and twitching minutely. “You’ll give me them if I help you get back?” he mused aloud, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

 

“I’ll give you  _ one,”  _ Obito corrected.

 

“Four then?” Kakashi offered.

 

“Four?” Obito repeated, scandalized. 

 

“Then it’s settled,” Kakashi sang and held out a delicate hand from beneath the cover of his exquisite sleeves. 

 

“I didn’t agree to that!” Obito cried.

 

Kakashi chuckled and smiled playfully. “You said ‘four’, so I assume we have an agreement, right? You hand me four marbles and I’ll take you back to where you belong.” Obito groaned in annoyance but he wanted to get home. He’d just have to remember that as a rule with yokai for next time -- if there was a next time.

 

“Alright, fine. I’ll give you four, but not this one,” Obito said as he picked out the one orange marble and pocketed it. Kakashi plucked out one of each color and rolled them in his palm, admiring them as if they were treasures like a much younger child would. Before Obito could blink, they were gone and Kakashi’s sleeve fell back over his hand.

 

“Now I should carry out my part of the agreement,” Kakashi purred and sent a polite bow Obito’s way. Then the yokai waltz past him to the treeline and with a brief look over his shoulder and a tilt of his head, he beckoned for the boy. “Please stay close to me, Obito-kun. The forest led you here and I’d hate for it to keep you; then I may never be able to uphold my part of our bargain,” he said with a chuckle, unnerving Obito. 

 

The boy jogged to stay on his trail, keeping an eye on the shimmering gold decoration on Kakashi’s eloquent obi. He was determined to keep an eye on Kakashi, certain that if he lost him that he’d be lost for good. But, everywhere the yokai walked, the forest seemed to come alive as if greeting him and opening up a path for him to walk upon.

 

Mushrooms lit up on the trees and forest floor with a soft, blue glow. Creatures of the night called out, wandering just out of Obito’s sight, and will-o-wisps floated through the trees, investigating the newcomer before quickly darting away to hide. Obito couldn’t hide his bewilderment in the beauty around him.

 

“Kakashi, this is so…  _ beautiful,”  _ the boy proclaimed and giggled gleefully as a wispy orb ruffled the hair on the back of his head before hiding in a tree trunk.

 

“I’m glad you like it,” Kakashi responded, “take it in while you can.”

 

“Huh?” What did he mean by that?

 

Obito whipped his head back to where Kakashi had been in front of him, leading him through the forest, but there was no one there. His frantically looked back and forth, but there was nothing;  _ no one. _

 

“Kakashi?” He called, and then more fearfully, “Kakashi!” He called, his tiny heart pounding in his throat as cold sank into the pit of his stomach. The yokai had abandoned him and all the life in the forest around him had gone still and silent. Maybe he had just fallen behind? 

 

The boy ran forward through the trees, searching desperately for the yokai as he called for him. “Kakashi! Where are you?” 

 

That was until he tripped on a tree root and found himself flying face-first into a pond. He spluttered and sat up, now his clothes were soaked and muddy, and he had a scrape on his knee, but strangely enough, he wasn’t lost. 

 

Obito had spied his sneakers and the jar as soon as he lifted himself from the water. But how exactly had he gotten there? He had no doubt it was Kakashi’s magic and after the fear he had felt before had abated, he couldn’t wait to recount the tale to his grandmother and Rin. 


	2. Rin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obito comes back for the summer to visit his Granny and gets to see his best friend Rin. Together, the duo decides to search for the yokai residing deep in the forest.

For months, Obito had thought about returning to Granny's to see Kakashi. He was certain that he was real and had told Rin, the neighbor girl all about it. Kakashi was fascinating, why wouldn't he? 

 

Obito could remember every detail in clarity and was sure it wasn't a dream even though he had nothing to tell him otherwise except for the absence of those marbles he had given to the yōkai. The mismatched gaze, the grace in which he spoke and walked like an ancient noble, and more importantly, that haunting, heartbroken tune. He couldn't get it out of his head, it was like it was pulling him back to those woods and he had been squirming in his seat the entire car ride to Granny's.

 

"Obi, why are you so antsy?" His mother asked, glancing to her right at her son.

 

Obito sat back in his chair and frowned. Normally, he'd be playing with his action figures on the way there, but instead, he was staring out the window with his Walkman's headphones draped over the back of his neck, playing flute music he had recorded. 

 

"I've haven't seen you so excited to see Granny since you were nearly a baby," she said and chuckled mirthfully. "My little Obi-chan... are you that eager to see your Granny? You're such a sweet boy!"

 

"Mom..."

 

"You can't brush away a mother's love," she singsonged playfully -- much to Obito’s chagrin -- as they continued on their way to Granny's. 

 

She was right though. Obito was having a difficult time containing his eagerness. He wanted to explore those woods and find Kakashi again.

 

He had told Granny all about Kakashi the night he'd met him. She was impressed and believed him entirely, telling him he'd been blessed by the spirit of the forest. Obito had to agree, although Kakashi had tried to keep from him finding his way home at first. Granny had said yōkai were tricky like that and they certainly were.

 

When they arrived, Granny hobbled outside to meet them, her cane grasped in one hand. "Obi-chan!" She greeted with a friendly wave.

 

"Granny!" He cried and shot out the car to go and greet her with a hug, abandoning his things without a care. Although he had been excited to track down Kakashi, he couldn't deny that he loved his Granny very much and hated leaving her alone. 

 

Obito's mother sighed and stepped out of the car. "Good afternoon, Chihaku-san! Obi's been buzzing about seeing you all week," his mother smiled.

 

"I wouldn't expect anything less from my favorite grandson," Granny said as she cupped Obito's cheek as the boy stepped away. 

 

“Granny, I’m your  _ only  _ grandson,” Obito beamed before hopping back down the steps to the car so that he could grab his suitcases. 

 

"How's life in the big city?" Granny asked, folding her weathered hands over her cane after taking a seat in one of the chairs on the porch.

 

"Busy as always. My husband couldn't make it of course," Obito's mother replied tiredly as she made her own way up the steps. "I really wish he didn't have to work so much."

 

Granny shook her head and chuckled ruefully. "It's just like my son to always shove into his work... Will you be coming back out here soon?"

 

"Not until the end of summer. There's a big project at work and it seems I'm going to be busy for a while too," she answered with a dejected frown.

 

"That's a shame," Granny agreed solemnly, but her wise, friendly smile returned almost immediately. "But you're always welcome to come whenever you have the time."

 

Obito's mother smiled at her and the two of them spoke in hushed tones for a few moments, ending with Granny shaking her head stubbornly. They were probably talking about moving Granny to the city again. Dad had been trying to get her to come live with them for years so she could have someone to look after her more often, especially since she was getting up in age and her health was steadily declining. 

 

When Obito was away, she had a neighbor who came and checked on her and helped her with a few tasks around the house. That neighbor being Rin's mother. They lived a short way up the road in a far more modern home.

 

"Oh, Obi?"

 

"Yes, mom?" he responded with a grunt as he pulled his suitcase out of the back with a loud thud.

 

"Don't forget your dolls in the front," she reminded him. "Last time, you forgot them."

 

Obito pouted with a sound of sheer annoyance but complied. For one thing, they weren't  _ dolls, _ they were  _ action figures. _

 

He hefted his suitcase to the passenger door and scooped up his things before shutting it and strolling back up to the porch where his mother and Granny sat, still speaking in hushed tones. It was as though they were completely ignoring the fact that Obito could still hear them. 

 

"Who else would look after it?" Granny whispered, taken aback by something. 

 

"Your will can always be changed and the house can be sold. I'm sure someone will-"

 

"No, no, no. I couldn't do that. This is a family home," Granny disputed.

 

"Chihaku-san, think about your health and Obi's future. All the jobs out here are moving to the city, there's nothing he can do out here aside from becoming a farmer," Obito's mother suggested. 

 

At that, the elderly woman hummed in stern, thoughtful silence before shaking her head. "I don't think my late husband would ever forgive me if I sold this house instead of passing it down to the next generation," Granny replied. "Madara was always so stubborn about future generations growing up here. I couldn't possibly abandon it."

 

"You wouldn't be abandoning it. You'd be selling it so you can live more comfortably," Obito's mother replied. "I just ask that you consider it, Chihaku-san..."

 

Without skipping a beat as Obito came up the steps, his mother asked, "Did you get all your things, Obi?"

 

"Yeah. I got all of them," Obito responded, looking between his mother and Granny for a moment as he began to register what he had heard. 

 

"Good, good," his mother said before standing up from the chair on the porch. "I hate to leave so soon, but I have to work first thing tomorrow." She ran her hand over Obito's hair, flattening a stubborn curl into place.

 

"I know," Obito murmured and set down his bag to hug her around the waist. "It's alright, mom." His mother hugged him tightly in return and kissed the crest of his head despite Obito's weak protest of,  _ "Mooooooom..." _

 

They pulled apart and his mother smiled down at him. "I'll see you at the end of summer. You be good for your Granny, alright?"

 

"I always am, Mom," Obito replied with a chuckle.

 

"I know. My little Obi-chan... you're growing up so fast," his mother teasing cupping his cheek. 

Obito didn't protest this time, simply grinning at his mother, his cheek dimpling at the action.

 

And with that, his mother headed down the steps to the car. She sent one final wave to Obito and Granny before she left, waving all the way as the two sent her off. 

 

To be honest, Obito was only a little sad to see her go. He never got to spend much time with her or his father in between school and afterschool clubs and his parents' jobs. Breakfast and going to his Granny's were the only two times he got to spend much of any time at all with his mother, but he'd get over it. He always did. However, this time he was focused on the conversation that he had overheard between his mother and Granny. Soon, he may not be coming out here at all; if that happened, he'd hardly see Rin after that and he may never get to see Kakashi again.

 

It was more than enough to put Obito into a sour mood, but thankfully, Granny caught on. “Obi-chan?”   
  
“Ah, yes Granny?” He answered, being pulled from his thoughts.

 

“I don’t want you to worry about what your mother and I were discussing, alright? I wouldn’t leave this house unless I had to,” Granny explained softly.    
  
“Alright,” Obito agreed.   
  
“Let’s get your things put away then, Obi-chan,” Granny smiled and began to lead the way into the house. “I made lunch for us and Nohara-san will be over in a bit.” 

 

Mrs. Nohara coming over typically meant his best friend, Rin. It got Obito to perk up immediately and eagerly began carrying his suitcase inside, grunting with the weight of it and gritting his teeth from the strain. Maybe he shouldn’t have brought so much? But he kind of wanted to show off some things to Rin and make sure he had some nice, human things to show -- or offer to -- Kakashi. He couldn’t wait to get started searching for the yōkai with Rin. 

 

* * *

 

When lunch was over, Obito and Granny were tidying up and putting away dishes when they heard a knock at the door. “Ah, that must be Nohara-san and I’ll bet Rin is with her,” Granny’s smile spread wider, crinkling her eyes. She slowly shuffled to the door to answer, hobbling there with her cane in hand.    
  
Obito beamed and hurried to finish putting away the dishes before tagging along to meet their guests at the door. 

 

When he got there, he saw exactly what he had expected to see. 

 

"Rin!" He cried, gaining the girl's attention immediately.

 

"Obito!" She opened her arms wide and the two children embraced each other in a warm hug. "It feels like forever since I've seen you!"

 

"More like forever and a half!" Obito declared as they broke apart. "It's not as much fun talking on the phone..." 

 

Rin giggled at his comment and smiled sincerely, alighting her entire face with unwavered delight. She nodded in agreement however before readjusting one of the straps on her backpack. "It's good to have you back. I can't wait to go exploring today, Obito!"

 

"Yeah! Me neither!"

 

"Are you two already making plans to go out into the woods?" Rin's mother asked, a concerned frown wrinkling her face.

 

“We’ve been planning to explore since school started,” Rin confirmed, her eyes pointedly pleading to her mother. 

 

Obito followed suit immediately and did the same, after all, it wouldn’t do to find Kakashi again if Rin wasn’t there. He’d be a bad friend. Rin had wanted to meet Kakashi from the moment Obito told her about him -- having grown up hearing the same tales from Obito’s Granny. Admittedly, she was scared at first, since Kakashi nearly kept Obito from finding his way home, but over the weeks and months they had been apart, she quickly warmed up to the idea. It’s not everyday one meets a spirit of the forest and she would have liked to see it too. 

 

“Obito just got here from the city. Shouldn’t you give him time to settle in?”    
  
“I’m fine, honest!” Obito cut in. “I’ve been ready to go since the moment I got here!”   
  
“Please, Mom?”   
  
“Please, Nohara-san?” 

 

The two children begged in unison, but still, Rin’s mother didn’t seem inclined to let them head out. “I don’t know. It’s a big forest. You two could get lost out there,” she pointed out. 

 

“Well, I think,” Granny piped up, “that it’s a splendid idea! There’s nothing like being in nature to get the fatigue of the city out of your bones!”

 

“That’s true, but it’s still a pretty big forest. I’m just worried, that’s all.”   
  
“It’s okay, Nohara-san!” Obito chirped and gestured to himself with a confident smile plastered across his face, bringing out that one dimple in his left cheek. “Rin and I know this forest like the back of our hands! I’ll make sure we’ll make it home before dark!” 

 

“Right!” Rin agreed.

 

Rin’s mother took a deep breath and let out a long-suffering sigh, unable to come up with another valid reason for her daughter to stay. “Then I guess that’s fine… what are you two going exploring for anyhow?”

 

“We’re looking for yō--” 

 

Rin stopped Obito with a small pinch to his upper arm and corrected him. “Bugs. We’re looking for bugs.”

 

“Uh… yeah! That’s right!” 

 

“Obito saw a really cool one last year and I wanted to see if we could find it again,” Rin explained before turning to Obito, who was rubbing his tender arm. “What did you say it was again? A beetle?”   
  
“Y-Yeah. A really big one,” Obito said before turning to Rin and pouting. “It had a bit of a mean  _ bite _ too.”

 

Granny chuckled at the two children’s antics, her wise eyes glittering as she saw through their poorly-veiled excuses. She seemed to have known from the start that the two of them were going to search for Kakashi. “If you’re looking for beetles, I hope you bring me back a nice, big one too.” Granny then set her attention on Nohara-san. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I think it’s time for my pills. Aoi, would you be a dear and help me open my medications for me? It’s hard to get a good grip when your bones are as old and weary as mine,” she sang as she toddled back into the kitchen.

 

Rin’s mother made to follow before turning to Rin and Obito, setting her hands on her hips. “Before you go off, I’m going to tell you two one thing. Just one.” She paused a moment, her expression stern and demanding that they both pay attention as she held up a single finger. “You both better be back before sundown, or else. Got it?”

 

“We will,” Rin said with an accepting nod.

 

“And you?” Rin’s mother asked Obito, raising her brow at him.   
  
“Uh… yes! I mean! Yes, ma’am! We’ll be back before then!” He nodded furiously and watched nervously as Mrs. Nohara glared her parently intent between the two of them before waving them off out the door.

 

* * *

 

“I can’t believe we managed to convince your mom to let us go like that!” Obito exclaimed as the two of them hiked up the trail to the Uchiha family shrine. Both of them had their bug nets in hand, Rin with a bag, holding a jar for their insect friend that they’d have to catch to validate their claim and Obito with a set of binoculars so he could keep an eye out for a sign of Kakashi.

 

“Me neither. If she had known we were looking for spirits, she would have never let us go,” Rin said with a sigh. “We were lucky your granny stepped in. My mom would have a fit if she knew.”

 

“I always forget about that,” Obito murmured then stopped in his tracks as though remembering something. He huffed and pointed accusingly at Rin’s back with a shout, “I also can’t believe that you pinched me!”

 

Rin turned around and shrugged, continuing to walk up the trail backward, “You were going to give us away. It couldn’t be helped.”

 

Obito scowled and raced to catch up with her, Rin turning to face forward again. “That doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt… Oh!” His eyes lit up with excitement and Rin’s wrongdoing was long forgotten. “Did you see the movie I told you about?”

 

“Which--?”

 

“The one with David Bowie! As the Goblin King?”

 

She shook her head. “No, mom and I checked the video store for it, but they didn’t have a copy of it.” She sighed dejectedly and fiddled with the handle of her bug net, twisting it in her hand, “It’s a shame though. I really would have liked to watch it.”

 

“Yeah… I guess I should have brought the tape with me so we could watch it together,” Obito offered, pouting. “It’s amazing and the Goblin King kinda reminds me of Kakashi.”

 

“I’ll take your word for it, but is he as  _ pretty _ as David Bowie is?”

 

A derisive scoff. “Of course, he is! Even better even! He’s pretty like an old-fashioned lord and he’s got eyes that are two different colors, y’know? He’s got a normal eye like a person and then,” with a leap, he jumped in front of his friend, stretching his eyelid with two fingers to expose more of his eye, before continuing in a hoarse ‘demonic’ tone, _“he’s got a_ _demon eye for sucking out your soul with his magic flute!”_

 

Rin yelped and ran around him to sprinting up the path giggling. “You can’t catch me, demon! I’m too quick for you!” 

 

“Nuh uh! I’m gonna get you, Rin! I’m gonna get you and catch you with my demon magic!” Obito cried humorously and gave chase after her, clutching his net tight as he laughed. 

 

Obito couldn’t wait to introduce her to Kakashi. In fact, he bet Rin would admire Kakashi so he wouldn’t have to play his flute so sadly, but then again, he felt as though Kakashi’s flute music was sacred like he didn’t want to share it. However, he found that was a silly thought so he shook it away. He and Rin shared everything so why not the magic of the forest and the spirit within it?   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously, the movie they mentioned was 'Labyrinth', which would kind of fit this world's version of Kakashi. But I don't know. I'll let you decide.


End file.
